10 Beer Festivals That Aren’t Oktoberfest
10 Beer Festivals That Aren’t Oktoberfest: A Complete Guide
Beyond the Bavarian Steins
Don’t get me wrong — Oktoberfest is brilliant. The brass bands, the dirndls, the giant pretzels the size of steering wheels. But it’s not the only place where beer takes centre stage. The world’s brewing scene is far bigger, bolder, and frankly, a bit more adventurous than Munich’s tents.
Over the years, I’ve stumbled (sometimes literally) across festivals that prove good beer doesn’t need lederhosen to taste great. From Belgian monasteries to Hawaiian beaches, here are ten beer festivals worth travelling for — each with its own personality, story, and pint worth remembering.
1. Great British Beer Festival – London, UK
Let’s start close to home. Every August, Olympia London transforms into a cathedral of casks. The Great British Beer Festival is organised by CAMRA — the Campaign for Real Ale — and feels part fairground, part pilgrimage.
You’ll find more than 900 British and international beers, from tiny microbrews to classics like Fuller’s London Pride. There are Morris dancers, beer mats you’ll pocket and forget about, and people comparing hop varieties with frightening seriousness.
Tip: grab a tasting paddle, not a pint — otherwise, you won’t remember much after lunchtime.
2. Bruges Beer Festival – Belgium
If London is hearty, Bruges is heavenly. Imagine sipping a rich Trappist ale beneath medieval towers, cobblestones underfoot, bells chiming overhead. Every February, the Bruges Beer Festival showcases around 500 Belgian brews — each one more dangerously drinkable than the last.
Brewers stand proudly behind wooden stalls, offering samples of caramel-smooth dubbels, crisp witbiers, and dark quadrupels that taste like spiced toffee. Locals claim beer here is “liquid bread,” and by the end of the weekend, you’ll believe them.
3. The Great American Beer Festival – Denver, USA
Cross the Atlantic and you’ll find the Great American Beer Festival, a three-day celebration that’s basically Disneyland for beer lovers. Held every autumn in Denver, it features more than 2,000 breweries pouring over 4,000 different beers.
There’s everything from peanut butter porters to citrusy IPAs so strong they make you see double. The festival’s judging competition is taken seriously — brewers whisper like chess players before awards are announced.
Yet it’s friendly, too. You’ll chat with people from every state, swapping recommendations like seasoned travellers swapping train routes.
4. Qingdao International Beer Festival – China
Think of it as Asia’s answer to Oktoberfest, but with fireworks, parades, and dumplings. The Qingdao International Beer Festival lasts an entire month every August, drawing millions of visitors to China’s breezy coastal city.
You can thank the Germans for this one — they introduced brewing here in the early 1900s, and the local Tsingtao Brewery still leads the charge. The beer tents are enormous, the atmosphere electric, and the mix of Western and Chinese food surprisingly perfect.
Order a cold Tsingtao, pair it with grilled squid on a stick, and you’ll understand why this festival has become an international sensation.
5. Oregon Brewers Festival – Portland, USA
Portland takes beer as seriously as it takes coffee. The Oregon Brewers Festival along the Willamette River is one of America’s longest-running craft celebrations, held every July.
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It’s relaxed, sunny, and very Portland — live music, food trucks, river views, and an almost scholarly devotion to hops. Try local legends like Deschutes and Rogue, or go off-script with sours and fruit ales from independent brewers.
Bring sunscreen and patience; queues form early, but every pint is worth the wait.
6. Cape Town Festival of Beer – South Africa
At the foot of Table Mountain, the Cape Town Festival of Beer brings together over 200 local and international brews each November. It’s outdoors, laid-back, and full of friendly chaos — rugby fans, hipsters, and old-school beer lovers all sharing picnic tables under the African sun.
Food stalls grill boerewors and peri-peri chicken, and the air smells of hops and spice. If you need a break from the lager, Cape Town’s craft gin scene is also on show. Don’t miss the sunset — it turns the whole sky amber, just like your pint.
7. Tokyo Beer Week – Japan
Japan’s craft scene is small but mighty. Tokyo Beer Week celebrates it each spring with events across the city — from izakayas and rooftop bars to tiny breweries hidden down alleyways.
Expect precision in every pour. You’ll taste pale ales brewed with Japanese yuzu, dark stouts infused with miso, and experimental lagers that somehow work perfectly with sushi.
Tokyo’s beer culture mixes quiet respect with wild creativity. It’s less about quantity, more about craftsmanship — a kind of poetry in foam form.
8. Toronto’s Cask Days – Canada
Held in October inside Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works, Cask Days celebrates the traditional British art of cask-conditioned ale — beer served naturally, without gas or artificial fizz.
It feels industrial, hip, and warm all at once. Canadian brewers showcase inventive flavours — think maple syrup bitters or smoked porters — alongside imports from the UK and Europe. There’s live jazz, food trucks, and the faint scent of malt drifting through the old brick halls.
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If you love your beer with personality (and a bit of unpredictability), this one’s for you.
9. Prague Beer Festival – Czech Republic
Czechs drink more beer per capita than anyone on Earth — so yes, they know what they’re doing. The Prague Beer Festival each May offers more than 150 brands, from crisp Pilsners to honey lagers poured from oak barrels.
The setting is pure storybook — long wooden benches, traditional costumes, and hearty Czech dishes like roast pork and dumplings. Locals toast each round with a booming “Na zdraví!” which you’ll be shouting by night two.
The best part? Prices are refreshingly low, and the beer strength will make you grateful for that fact.
10. Honolulu Brewers Festival – Hawaii, USA
Sun, surf, and stout? Welcome to Honolulu Brewers Festival, one of the world’s most scenic celebrations of craft beer. Held each May near the waterfront, it’s all about island vibes — tropical fruit beers, live ukulele music, and food from local chefs.
Imagine sipping a coconut porter while the Pacific sparkles in front of you. It’s a world away from the Bavarian tents — slower, sunnier, and somehow just as joyful. Proceeds go to local charities, so every drink comes with a dash of good karma.
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